Circular knitting machine of the double axially opposed needle cylinder type



June 16,1942. J c H. W am 2,286,806-

CIRCULAR KDIT TING MACHINE OF THE DOUBLE AXIALLY OPPOSED NEEDLE CYLINDER TYPE Filed May 15, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

1 W I W Mauro/est June 16, 1942. c HURD ETAL 2,286,806

' CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OF THE DOUBLE AXIALLY' OPPOSED NEEDLE CYLINDER TYPE Filed May 15, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2. 8b

c a s 8 15 19 a 86 Q I 20 A9 17 i N A 8c: 25 Q Y J 18 I l 19 16 19d 28 8e 5 a Q A 21 I 86 8 8 Q 8b Q B 9 21 8c m/VE/vmes,

J n 16. 9 J. c. H. HURD ETAL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OF THE DOUBLE AXIALLY OPPOSED NEEDLE CYLINDER T-YPE Filed May 15, 194i, 5 Sheets-sheaf, 3

Fig.3.

Fig.8.

June 16, 1942. J, c, HURD ETAL 2,286,806

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OF THE DOUBLE AXIALLY OPPOSED NEEDLE CYLINDER TYPE Filed May 15, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 5.

Mme-Alias, a We.

Patented June 16, 1942 OFFICE Y CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OF THE DOUBLE AXIALLY OPPOSED NEEDLE CYL- INDER TYPE John Cyril Herbert H Holmes, Leicester, En

and Company British company Application May 15, 1941,

urd and Henry Harold gland, assignors to Wildt Limited, Leicester, England, a

Serial No. 393,614

InGreat Britain June 4, 1940 19 Claims.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines of the double axially opposed, e. g. superimposed, needle cylinder type, and is mainly, although not necessarily exclusively, intended for application to machines of this type furnished with double-ended needles operated by means of sliders, such needles being adapted for transfer from one needle cylinder to the other as exemplified in United Kingdom Specifications Nos. 15,008 of 1900, 24,290 of 1912, and 391,212, for producing plain, rib or purl stitch fabric, or any desired combination thereof, as now well understood in the art.

The invention has for its object to provide a machine of the characteristic type concerned which will be capable of producing in knitted fabric patterns or designs, such for example as openwork or cellular effects, by loop transference.

In this latter respect it is principally the intention and the primary aim of the invention to provide a double cylinder machine adapted to knit fabric wherein openwork designs or cellular effects are produced by the formation "of what are known as pelerine stitches.

Considered from its broadest aspect, then, the invention resides in the provision of a circular knitting machine of the type referred to which includes means operable in conjunction with the needles of the machine for the purpose of effecting transference of loops from one wale to an adjacent wale.

The said means may conveniently comprise a series of transfer instruments independently operable in conjunction with the needles for the intended purpose.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, specific examples thereof as applied to a circular knitting machine of the superposed rotary needle cylinder type will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of so much of such a machine as is necessary to illustrate one form of the invention embodying a trick ring or dial for the transfer instruments,

Figure 2 is a plan view showing, more particularly, the cams for operating the transfer instruments at one feeder, and includes a few of the instruments in respectively different positions,

Figure 3 is a developed View of portions of'the plain and rib cylinder cam systems of the machine at the said feeder, as seen from the insides of the cylinder cam boxes, and shows, in addition,

a few needles, transfer instruments and inside sinkers or web holders,

Figure 4 is a plan view representing more clearly the form of the transfer instruments employed in the machine shown in Figures 1-3, and the manner in which such instruments function to spread loops prior to transference to adjoining needles,

Figure 5 is a View somewhat similar to Figure 1 showing an alternative form of the invention in which transfer instruments are arranged for pivotal or rocking movement in a cylindrical bed or like carrier as will be hereinafter described,

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view depicting a pair of left and right hand transfer instruments,

Figure 7 is a detail plan View of one form of selecting or patterning mechanism for eifecting selective manipulation of the instruments shown in Figure 5 and 6,

Figure 8 ma side View of the control drum included in this mechanism,

Figure 9 is a side view of levers acted upon by the said control drum, and

Figure 10 is a structure diagram, drawn to a greatly enlarged scale, of a portion of fabric which can be produced on the improved machine.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the machine therein depicted comprises superimposed plain (bottom) and rib (top) rotary cylinders l and 2 respectively with independent slidable double-ended latch needles 3 operable in the customary manner by means of needle actuating sliders. A portion of one of such sliders working in the plain cylinder l is indicated at 4. The machine also includes holding down sinkers or web holders such as 5 mounted in a sinker ring or brass 6 of usual form associated with the plain cylinder I. For operating these sinkers or Web holders there is provided a cam system of any conventional character; Independently slidable top sinkers or knocking-over bits such as 1 are mounted in the lower end of the rib cylinder 2 and adapted to be rendered operative seriatim during rib knitting.

In accordance with the present invention a circular series of transfer instruments 8 is provided, the instruments being disposed in a trick ring or dial 9 which is mounted within the needle cylinders I and 2 concentrically therewith.

end of the rib cylinder 2 by means of screws l3. By reason of this construction the trick ring or dial 9 rotates in unison with the needle cylinders. The said trick ring or dial is disposed with its tricked face upwards, and a cap It carrying cams for action on the transfer instruments 8 is fixedly mounted above the trick ring or dial to cover the tricked face. Amongst other things, therefore, the cam cap Hi serves to prevent the transfor instruments from rising up 'in'the ring or dial 9. The latter, moreover, is located at such a level that the operative transfer instruments are projectable between the lower end of the rib cylinder? and the nibs a of the sinkers or web holders 5. To enable the instruments to be projected in this way, however, it is necessary for a clear space to be provided between the sinkers or web holders 5 and the opposed end of the rib cylinder. This is done either by omitting the verge associated with the rib cylinder or appropriately shortening the latter. Consequently, for the purpose of holding down the fabric at such times as loops are being drawn by rib needles each of the top sinkers or knocking-over bits I is formed at the lower end with an inwardly directed radial extension Tb. These extensions are disposed at right angles to the bits or sinkers and are of such a length as effectively to prevent rib loops drawn over them from becoming displaced and sliding up along I the back edges of said bits or sinkers. As shown more clearly in Figure 4, each of the transfer in struments 8 is of blade-like form and at its operative end to is laterally curved so as to have a bowed or arched formation the opposite ends of which are in alignment with the remainder of the blade. The curve therefore commences at or near the tip of the instrument, swells gradually to what may be termed the crest of the curve, and then recedes to the same extent, that is to say to a point substantially in alignment with the starting point of the curve. The forward portion of the curve, or the tip of the instrument, is preferably in the form of a nib 8b and the instrument also has a loop engaging shoulder 80 or a like projection at a suitable distance from the tip. In the specific example illustrated this shoulder is located on the crest of the curve or swell. The upper edge of each transfer instrument 8 is recessed at 811 shouldered portion or butt tie for engagement with suitable operatingrcams secured to the underside of the cap it. In addition to an operating butt the instrument has a rearwardly extending tail butt Bf so as to enable same used in conjunction with selecting or patterning means hereinafter to be described for controlling the operation of the instruments according to the effects to be achieved. As hereinbefore alluded to, the instruments may be used in pairs 8, 8 (see Figure 2 and the bottom of Figure 4), that is to say two in a trick-one with a left hand and one with a right hand curved portion to for the purpose specified.

As will be seen from a consideration of Figure 1, the tail butts 8 are disposed at respectively different levels so as to be located in correspondingly different planes heightwise, and two circumferentially spaced selecting cams l5 and IE (Figure 2) each movable into any one of said planes for action upon desire-d tail butts according to patterning requirements under suitable control are provided at the feeder; or at each feeder of the machine, as the case may be. The selecting cam i5 is movable heightwise by means to provide an upstanding l to be III extremities of the yarn exending over the nibs of a pair of partially advanced instruments is depicted towards the left-hand sideof Figure 3, whereas yarn over the nib of a single transfer instrument is shown near the top of Figure 4. To enable selected instruments to be partially advanced as just described a cam section I9 carried by the cam cap I4 is recessed at 20. The extent of the endwise movement of partially advanced instruments is determined by contact of their butts 86 with the edge I90: of the cam section I9. Immediately after being advanced to this extent selected transfer instruments are retracted slightly by the action of the cam portion I91) on the butts 86, during which time the instruments retain the yarn on their nibs 8b. At'this stage in a knitting operation the nibs of partially advanced transfer instruments functions as sinkers over which sinker loops are drawn in a manner hereinafter to be more fully described. The tail butts 8 of selecte-d instruments are now acted upon by the second selecting cam it, whereupon said instruments are fully advanced to the extent shown at the location marked B. By reason'of such ad- Vancement, sinker wale loops previously drawn over the nibs 8b are caused to slide back along the instruments until they are caught and held by the loop engaging shoulders 80. In this-way the sinker wale loops are distended, that is to say spread laterally, by the bowed or arched operative ends 8a of the instruments suchwise as to enable them to be readily penetrated by rising plain needles. A sinker wale loop s spread laterally in one direction for transference to a single adjacent plain needle 3 is shown in Figure whereas a sinker wale loop s which has been spread laterally in opposite directions for transference to two adjoining and successive plain needles 3 is depicted in eachof Figures 3 and 4. To permit of the transfer instruments being fully advanced the portion 90 of the cam section I9 is shaped as shown in Figure 2. The advanced position of the instruments is determined by contact of the butts 86 with the cam edge led. Immediately after the tail butts of selected instruments leave the cam It, the butts 8e of said instruments are acted upon by the inclined cam face 21a on the adjoining cam section 2| with the result that the instruments are withdrawn to their original positions. In this way the distended sinker wale loops are left on the appropriate plain needles and subsequently meshed with knitted loops in needle wales to form pelerine stitches in a manner now well known to those acquainted with the knitting art. When transfer instruments 8 are inoperative during plain knitting their nibs 8b are located just within the needle circle, 1. e. at the back of the needles, being retained in this position by reason of the contact of the butts to with concentric portions of the cam sections carried by the cam cap Hi. In Figure 2, this cap has been removed for the sake of clarity. As shown in Figure 2, the cam system includes a small swing cam 22 which, during the production of pelerine work, is maintained in the inoperative position indicated by full lines. At such times as rib knitting is to be produced, however, the cam 22 is causedto assume the operative position indicated indot-and-dash lines for action upon all the butts 86 to effect retirement of the transfer instruments 8 to a further extent sufficient to enable the top sinkers or knocking over bits I to descend without fouling them. During such times, the two selecting cams l and I6 at the or each feeder of the machine are, of course, rendered entirely inoperative. As will be understood, the arrangement so far described is broadly such that selected transfer instrument are moved endwise so as to cause the butts Be on the selected and the unselected instruments respectively to follow different paths in relation to the cams carried by the cam cap l4, so that some instruments function and the others do not function to transfer loops. In the case of a multifeeder machine, selected transfer instruments may take yarn more than once at successive feeders (advancing only at locations A), before transferring sinker wale loops to needles at a location B. In a single feeder machine the instruments may operate to accumulate loops in successive courses before casting off.

The plain and rib cylinder cam systems at the or each feeder of the machine are as shown in Figure 3, the various cams being mounted, in accordance with usual practice, in conventional bottom and top cam boxes 23 and 24 respectively (see Figure 1). The bottom cam box includes an adjustable plain stitch cam 25, an associated so-called feeder cam 26 for directing the knit ting butts 4a of the bottom sliders 4 into the range of the said stitch cam, a cam 21 for raising plain needles to tucking height in order to open their latches 3a, a cam 28 just in advance of the location B for lowering said needles again so that selected transfer instruments 8 can safe- 7 1y be advanced over them by the cam H5 at the feeder, and a cam 29 for raising needles to such a height as to pass them through laterally expanded sinker wale loops on appropriate transfer instruments. If necessary or desirable, a

latch guard (not shown) may follow the cam 21.

In some instances the cams 21 and 28 may be omitted and replaced by a latch opener. Or reliance may be placed on the latches to fall open themselves. When needles are lowered at the stitch cam 25 to draw loops, yarn previously laid over the nibs 8b of transfer instruments is pulled down around the nibs to form the sinker wale loops subsequently to be transferred: this will be apparent from a consideration of Figure 3. The top cam box 24 includes, at the or each feeder, an adjustable rib stitch cam 30 and an associated feeder cam 3| for action upon the customary knitting butts of the top sliders (not shown), a welt track 32 entrance of the said butts into which is controlled by a welt cam 33, and a transfer cam 34 for action upon conventional transfer butts on the sliders. The rib cam system also includes a pivoted top sinker cam 35. During pelerine work this cam is maintained in the inoperative position shown in full lines, but is caused to assume the operative position depicted in dot-and-dash lines for rib knitting. When operative, the cam 35 acts on operating butts hi on the top sinkers or knocking-over bits 1 and thereby depresses the same seriatim at the stitch drawing location A. A cam 36 disposed beneath the top sinker cam 35 serves to guard the butts la during depression of the sinkers or bits I and, immediately thereafter, to raise said butts again into an idle track 31. Whenever the cam 35 asunit which has patterning sumes the position indicated in dot-and-dash lines, thecam'ZZis, of course, operative to maintain the transfer instruments at the back and clear of the sinkers or bits I. The provision of the said sinkers or bits readily enables rib ef' fects, such as 2/2 rib bottoms andl/l welts, to be produced.

V A feeder plate through which yarn Y is fed is indicated at FP in Figure 3.

The means for controlling the selecting cams l5 and I6 maybe of any suitable character. For example, in the case of a multi-feeder, e. g. four feeder, machine, the said cams may conveniently be operated from patterning or controlling mechanism. In these circumstances, the arrangement would be such that the slidable cam rods I1. and I8 at each feeder extend tothe top of the machine where they are each connected to links and levers adapted to be influenced by patterning or controlling formations in or on a controlling device or unit. The latter comprises two spaced drums fixedly mounted on a spindle and, between these fixed drums, a further drum which is freely mounted on said spindle. The two outer drums control the cams I5, whereas the central drum serves to control the cams IS. The spindle has secured thereon tw ratchet wheels arranged so as to enable forward and reverse racking to be imparted to the outer drums. Pawl and ratchet mechanism is provided for racking round the outer drums, the said mechanism being actuated by a lever which is in turn operated'by a rotary cam unit driven, through suitable gearing, from the customary rib cylinderdrive' shaft at a speed four times that of the needle cylinders. The central, freely mounted controlling drum i driven in the manner described in the specification of prior United States Letters Patent No. 2,196,073. A pattern chain for controlling the racking movements of the drums is also racked round by mechanism operated from the gear-drivenrotary cam unit; so also is a catch or detent corresponding in function to the'catchor'dete'nt 23 described in prior Speciflcation'No. 2,196,073 aforesaid.

Instead of the selecting mechanism herein described there may be provided locations A and- B at the or each feeder of the machine a bank of pivoted cam levers arranged one above another in'the different planes concerned for action selectively upon the respectively different series of tail butts 8 The are adapted to be manner by a small formations therein or thereon and is rotatable step-by-step by camoperated pawl and ratchet mechanism.

In the example of the invention illustrated in Figure 5, the transfer instruments are in the form of blade-like elements 38 each provided with an operative extremity or portion 3811 which extends substantially at right angles from the main portion 38b of the blade, said instruments being mounted for pivotal or rocking movement in a cylindrical bedor like carrier such as 39 so as to extend in an axial direction or substantially so with respect to the needle cylinders I and 2, whereby the operative extremities or portions 38a are adapted for movement radially with respect to the needle circle from the inside to the outside of the latter, and vice versa. Each of the blade-like transfer instruments 38 is adapted to pivot or rock within the cylindrical bed or like carrier 39 about a fulcrum point 40 and has on its axially extending cam levers at each'location acted upon in a selective at each of the portion 381) a frontal operating butt 4| and an upwardly extending butt 42. The operative extremity of each instrument 36 is laterally curved as shown in Figure 6 and formed with a loop engaging shoulder 380 in much the same way as one of the instruments 8 employed in the last described example. In Figure 6 is depicted a pair of instruments 38, 38 -one with a right hand and the other with a left hand laterally curved extremity 38a. The aforesaid operative extremities extend between the inside sinkers or web holders and the rib cylinder 2 of the machine, and they are projected radially in an outward direction across the needle circle from the inside to the outside when required to position and expand loops to be transferred. A bank of selector levers or cams 43 is provided for action selectively upon the operating butts 4| so that selected instruments are pressed inwards at their upper ends and thereby projected radially at their lower, i. e., operative, ends. The machine is also furnished with a retracting cam 44 arranged for action seriatim upon the upwardly extending butts 42 for the purpose of restoring selected guides to their normal position. Moreover, each transfer instrument 38 is also formed with another frontal butt 45 adapted for engagement in a track provided by an appropriately grooved fixed ring such as 46 or by spaced stationary discs or equivalent. The engagement of these butts in the track serves to'maintain the transfer instruments in the required positions axially. Any other suitable means may, however, alternatively be employed for the same purpose. The said track when provided may be so shapedi'f considered necessary or desirable-to effect appropriate endwise movements of the instruments so as to facilitate their co-operation with'the double-ended needles.

The selector levers or cams 43 are spring or equivalently controlled and operable by means of patterning formations such as pegs 41 in (or on) a drum 48 (or a like body) which is adapted to be intermittently rotated in suitable timed relation with the rotation of the needle cylinders. The drum 48 is rotatably mounted upon a spindle 49 depending from the top plate 50 of the machine, and is prevented from turning too freely and thereby over-running by means of friction plates 5| and 52 and an associated compression Spring 53 arranged as shown. To the top of the drum is secured a ratchet wheel 54 which is engaged by a pawl 55 carried by a double-armed pawl lever 56. This lever is freely mounted upon the spindle 49 and is furnished with a roller 51 adapted to be acted upon by a rotary cam 53. In a modification, the pattern drum 48 may be operated by forward and reverse racking mechanism of the character described in the complete specification of prior United Kingdom Letters Patent No. 443,736. In any event, suitable provision may be made for effecting withdrawal of the drum 48 for non-patterned work.

According to a convenient arrangement, there are provided two drums 48 at the or each feeder of the machine-one at the location A (see Figures 2 and 3) for selecting and partially projecting instruments 38 to receive yarn, and the other at the location B for fully advancing said instruments for transference of sinker wale loops to rising plain needles. The drum at the location B would, of course, be furnished with longer pegs than the drum at the location A.

- Instead of providing two drums of the character described, there may, as shown in Figure 7, be provided at the feeder or each feeder a single pattern drum 59 for action selectively upon two groups of selector levers, viz. a group of short levers 60 for action upon butts 4| at the location A and a group of somewhat longer levers 6| for action upon said butts at the location B. The selector levers are disposed one above another in a bank, with the shorter levers 6B alternating with the longer levers 6| in the manner shown in Figure 9. The operative ends of the selector levers are formed with noses for action upon the frontal butts 4|. The said ends of the longer levers 6| are downwardly cranked suchwise as to bring their noses into line with the corresponding noses of the shorter levers 66. The nose of each lever 6| will therefore be on the same level as the nose of the adjacent and companion lever 60 for action upon butts 4| at a corresponding level. Both groups of selector levers are pivotally mounted upon a common pivot 62, and, as shown in Figure 8, the drum 59 is furnished with horizontal rows 63 and 64 of pegs. The pegs in the rows 63 are for operating the shorter levers 60, while the pegs in the rows 64 are for operating the longer levers 6!. As will be seen, the rows 63 alternate with the rows 64, the pegs in the alternate rows being staggered.

In both of the examples herein described the arrangement may be such that the sinker loops to be transferred are drawn over the nibs of the selected transfer instruments while the latter are clear of the customary dividing cam, whereupon and after said instruments have moved past the dividing cam, they are fully advanced to position and expand the loops prior to the latter being penetrated and taken by desired receiving needles.

According to an alternative arrangement of the instruments, a left-hand instrument may be provided in one trick and a right-hand instrument in the adjacent trick, and so on.

Figure 10 represents, merely by way of example, the back of a piece of fabric which is capable of being produced upon the improved machine. The fabric is shown as it leaves the needles of the machine and comprises a roll welt C, an adjoining portion of 2/2 rib knitting and a following portion of plain fabric E patterned by pelerine stitch effects. The spaced needle wales are indicated at 1120, whereas the intervening sinker wales are designated sw. The pelerine stitch effect shown at F is produced by the use of a single transfer instrument; as will be seen, sinker wale loops 3 from two successive courses are transferred laterally in one direction only and meshed with a loop I in the adjacent needle wale. On the other hand, the pelerine stitch effect marked G is produced by the use of a pair of transfer instruments working together as hereinbefore described; in this case sinker wale loops s from two successive courses are both transferred laterally in opposite directions and meshed with loops 1 in adjoining needle wales, as will be clear to those acquainted with the knitting art.

What we claim then is:

1. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, instrumentalities associated with said needles and over which some of the loops are drawn, and means for effecting co-operative operation of instrumentalities and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrumentality to at least one adjacent needle.

2. A circular knitting machine comprising, in

combination, axially opposed needle cylinders,

needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, loop transfer instruments associated with said needles and over which sinker loops are drawn, and means for effecting co-operative operation of loop transfer instruments and needles suchwise as to enable a sinker loop to be transferred laterally from any desired loop transfer instrument to at least one adjacent needle in order to produce a pelerlne stitch effect.

3. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, a grooved bed, a circular series of loop transfer instruments which are independently movable in said bed and have operativeends located and movable between the opposed needle cylinders so that some of the loops can be drawn over them, and means for effecting co-operative operation of loop transfer instruments and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired loop transfer instrument to at least one adjacent needle.

4. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed plain and rib needle cylinders the opposed ends of which are spaced apart, needles in said cylinders, inside sinkers associated with the plain cylinder, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, loop transfer instruments associated with the needles and over which some of the loops are drawn, said instruments having operative portions which are movable back and forth in the space between the inside sinkers and the opposed end of the rib cylinder, and means for eifecting co-operative operation of loop transfer instruments and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired loop transfer instrument to at least one adjacent needle.

5. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, loop transfer instruments associated with said needles and over which some of the loops are drawn, each of said instruments being formed at its operative end with a laterally offset loop expanding portion, and means for effecting co-operative operation of loop transfer instruments and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be expanded on the loop expanding portion of any desired instrument and transferred laterally from the latter to at least one adjacent needle.

6. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combinatiomaxially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, loop transfer instruments associated with said needles and over which some of the loops are drawn, each of said instruments having at its operative end a bowed loop expanding formation the opposite ends of which are in the same straight line, and

means for effecting co-operative operation of,

loop transfer instruments and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be expanded on the bowed loop expanding formation of any desired instrument and transferred laterally from the latter to at least one adjacent needle.

7. A circular knitting machine according to claim 5 wherein each looptransfer instrument has a loop engaging shoulder located on the laterally oifset loop expanding portion of said instrument.

8. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, loop transfer instruments associated with said needles and over which some of the loops are drawn, said instruments being arranged to work in pairs and one of the instruments of each pair being formed at its operative end with a loop expanding portion offset laterally to the right-hand side whereas the companion instrument of the pair is formed at the corresponding end with a similar loop expanding portion offset laterally to the left-hand side, and means for eifecting co-operative operation of loop transfer instruments and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be expanded laterally in opposite directions on the loop expanding portion of any desired pair of instruments and transferred to two adjacent needles.

9. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles loops are drawn, effecting co-operative operation of instrumentalities and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrumentality to at least one adjacent needle, and means for selecting the instrumentalities for co-operation with desired needles.

10. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in slidably in. said dial, said instruments being adapted to have some of the loops drawn over them, cam means for action upon the butts to move the loop transfer instruments into and out of operation in a plane which extends between the opposed needle cylinders, and means for operating needles in co-operation with loop transfer instruments suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrument to at least one adjacent needle.

11. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders,

said yarn, a cylindrical bed arranged within the rib cylinder concentrically therewith, loop transfer instruments in the form of blade-like elements each provided with an operative extremity which extends at an angle from the main portion of the instrument, the said operative extremities being such as to 6 enable some of the loops to be drawn over them and the instruments being mounted for rocking movement in the said cylindrical bed so as to extend in an axial direction with respect to the needle cylinders whereby the aforesaid operative extremities are adapted for movement radially across the needle circle from the inside to the outside thereof, and vice versa, and means for effecting co-operative operation of loop transfer instruments and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrument to at least one adjacent needle.

1-2. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, a dial mounted within the needle circle concentrically therewith, loop transfer instruments which are furnished with operating butts and rearwardly extending tail butts and arranged for movement slidably in said dial, said instruments being adapted to have some of the loops drawn over them, cam means for action upon the operating butts to move the loop transfer instruments into and out of operation in a plane which extends between the opposed needle cylinders, means for operating needles in co-operation with loop transfer instruments suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrument to at least one adjacent needle, and selecting means for action upon the tail butts for controlling the operation of the loop transfer instruments according to the effects to be achieved,

13. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, a cylindrical bed arranged within the rib cylinder concentrically therewith, loop transfer instruments in the form of blade-like elements each furnished with a frontal butt and provided with an operative extremity which extends at an angle from the main portion of the instrument, the said operative extremities being such as to enable some of the loops to be drawn over them and the instruments being mounted for rocking movement in the said cylindrical bed so as to extend in an axial direction with respect to the needle cylinders whereby the aforesaid operative extremities are adapted for movement radially across the needle circle from the inside to the outside thereof, and vice versa, means for effecting co-operative operation of loop transfer instruments and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrument to at least one adjacent needle, at least one bank of independently movable selector members for action upon the aforesaid frontal butts to effect projection of the operative extremities of instruments outwardly across the needle circle, means for selectively operating the selector members, and cam means for action on the instruments to effect movement of the operative extremities thereof in the reverse direction at appropriate times.

14. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, loop transfer instruments associated with said needles and over which some of the loops can be drawn,

selecting means at one location for partially advancing selected transfer instruments toan extent sufficient for yarn to be laid over them, further selecting means at a location circumferentially spaced from said first mentioned location for fully advancing said instruments whereby loops of yarn thereon are spread laterally, and means for effecting oo-operative action of needles with said selected transfer instruments suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrument to at least one adjacent needle.

15. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, a dial mounted within the needle circle concentrically therewith, loop transfer instruments which are furnished. with operating butts and also with rearwardly extending tail butts disposed at respectively different levels so as to be located in correspondingly different planes, said instruments being arranged for movement slidably in the dial and adapted to have some of the loops drawn over them, a selecting cam at one location adapted for movement into any one of said planes for action upon desired tail butts so as partially to advance selected transfer instruments between the opposed needle cylinders to an extent sufficient for yarn to be laid over them, a further selecting cam at a location circumferentially spaced from said first mentioned location and similarly adapted for movement into any one of the planes for action on the same tail butts whereby the aforesaid selected transfer instruments are fully advanced so that loops of yarn thereon are spread laterally, and means for effecting co-operative action of needles with the selected transfer instruments suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrument to at least one adjacent needle.

16. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, a cylindrical bed arranged within the rib cylinder concentrically therewith, loop transfer instruments in the form of blade-like elements each furnished with a frontal butt and provided with an operative extremity which extends at an angle from the main portion of the instrument, the said operative extremities being such as to enable some of the loops to be drawn over them and the instruments being mounted for rocking movement in the said cylindrical bed so as to extend in an axial direction with respect to the needle cylinders whereby the aforesaid operative extremities are adapted for movement radially across the needle circle from the inside to the outside thereof, and vice versa, a bank of independently movable selector members at one location for action upon desired frontal butts so as to effect partial projection of the operative extremities of selected transfer instruments outwardly across the needle circle to an extent sufficient for yarn to be laid over them, a pattern device for selectively actuating said selector members, a second bank of similar selector members at a location circumferentialy spaced from said first mentioned location and similarly adapted for action upon the same frontal butts whereby the operative xtremities of the selected transfer instruments are fully projected so that loops of yarn thereon are spread laterally, another pattern device for selectively actuating selector members in said second bank, and means for effecting co-operative action of needles with the selected transfer instruments suchwis as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrument to at least one adjacent needle.

17. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, a cylindrical bed arranged within the rib cylinder concentrically therewith, loop transfer instruments in the form of blade-like elements each furnished with a frontal butt and provided with an operative extremity which extends at an angle from the main portion of the instrument, the said operative extremities being such as to enable some of the loops to be drawn over them and the instruments being mounted for rocking movement in the said cylindrical bed so as to extend in an axial direction with respect to the needle cylinders whereby the aforesaid operative extremities are adapted for movement radially across the needle circle from the inside to th outside thereof, and vice versa, a bank of independently movable selector members some of which are short for action upon frontal butts of selected transfer instruments at one location and the remainder of which are longer for action upon the same frontal butts of said selected transfer instruments at another location spaced circumferentially from said first mentioned location, a single pattern device for operating the selector members for action at both locations, the short selector members serving to effect partial projection of the operative extremities of selected transfer instruments outwardly across the needle circle to an extent sufiicient for yarn to be laid over them whereas the longer selector members operate to effect full projection of the said operative extremities so that loops of yarn thereon are spread laterally, and means for effecting cooperative action of needles with the selected transfer instruments suchwise as to enabl a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrument to at least one adjacent needle.

18. A circular knitting machine comprising, in

combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, instrumentalities associated with said needles and over which some of the loops are drawn, means for effecting co-operative operation of instrumentalities and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired instrumentality to at least one adjacent needle, a series of independently slidable'knocking-over elements mounted in the rib cylinder, each of said elements having an inwardly directed angular extension adapted to assist in holding down fabric at such times as rib loops are being drawn, cam means for rendering the knocking-over elements operative seriatim during rib knitting and for moving them clear of the aforesaid instrumentalities as occasion demands, and a cam for effecting withdrawal of the the instrumentalities to a position clear of the knocking-over elements whenever the latter are brought into operation.

19. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, needles in said cylinders, means for supplying yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to form loops from said yarn, a grooved bed, a circular series of loop transfer instruments which are independently movable in said bed and have operative ends located and movable between the opposed needle cylinders so that some of the loops can be drawn over them, means for efiecting co-operative operation of loop transfer instruments and needles suchwise as to enable a loop to be transferred laterally from any desired loop transfer instrument to at least one adjacent needle, a series of independently slidable knocking-over elements mounted in the rib cylinder, each of said elements having an inwardly directed angular extension adapted to assist in holding down fabric at such times as rib loops are being drawn, cam means for rendering the knocking-over elements operative seriatim during rib knitting and for moving them clear of the aforesaid loop transfer instruments as occasion demands, and a cam for effecting withdrawal of the loop transfer instruments to a position clear of the knocking-over elements whenever the latter are brought into operation.

JOHN CYRIL HERBERT HURD. HENRY HAROLD HOLMES. 

